Monday, 20 October 2014

White Caterthun hillfort: Work in progress on a speculative reconstruction for my research film "The Caterthuns"

I've been sketching up some ideas of how to show a speculative reconstruction of the lost structures at White Caterthun hillfort. Here is a work in progress, where I have roughed in a series of palisaded enclosures and the large timber-laced wall. I've left the surrounding landscape as it looks in the current day.

A speculative reconstruction of the enclosures at White Caterthun hillfort.

A kite aerial photograph of the current day monument.

The image represents my own reading of the excavation report and RCAHMS record (linked here), with a good deal of added conjecture! I'm really keen to hear any thoughts and suggestions on this, particularly from the archaeologically-minded. I'm working with Alice Watterson to realise this speculative reconstruction into a three-dimensional visualisation as part of my upcoming research film "The Caterthuns".

2 comments:

I always have a feeling - or passing thought - that the two Caterthuns are represented in the Pictish double circle symbol. Could just point to the deep symbolism of the rulers of the area and their long-term and widespread influence.

Good thought, Peter Herbert - the vesica piscis is the intersecting overlap of the (circular) earthly world & the (circular) heavenly world. It was employed by artists depicting Christian & Buddhist subjects in this transitional state.